Kyiv plans to buy Marder infantry fighting vehicles directly from the German company Rheinmetall, the national portal Adyrna reports.
This was reported by Deutsche Welle with reference to the German edition of Bild am Sonntag (BamS).
According to him, the machine-building enterprise intends to supply 35 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine by the end of the year.
Initially, it was noted that Rheinmetall offered the German Armed Forces to immediately deliver the combat-ready Marder to Ukraine, and then to obtain insufficient equipment from the manufacturer. However, the German Ministry of Defense opposed it.
In addition, BamS noted that the department did not assess the condition of the BMPs and the need to inspect and maintain them. In late March, Reinmetall asked Defense Minister Christina Lambrecht to buy 4 million rounds of ammunition for infantry fighting vehicles and deliver them to Ukraine, but the company did not respond.
Ukraine's ambassador to Germany, Andrey Melnik, has criticized Berlin's stance. Confirmation of the information that the Ministry of Defense did not inspect the equipment is controversial, said a BamS diplomat. He says Russia's war against Ukraine has been going on for a month and a half, but Berlin is "in no hurry."
National portal "Adyrna"
